Friday, June 15, 2012

Getting fat and getting muscle

While on running break I've been doing two things: Getting fat and getting muscle.

I'm getting fat because most of my activity has been restricted. I am allowed to bike ONLY. No stairclimber, no elliptical (who knew - the elliptical can cause injury to the pubic symphysis because it's actually possible to have bad form on the elliptical. Funny). Now, a good fat-burning spin class would be great, but I haven't gone to any. That's because my gym offers them at 6 am. Heck no!
So yeah, a little fat has accumulated. No big deal. Not like I'm spending the next two weekends playing host at the beach. Not like I had to go out and buy a swimsuit that actually fits. BTW, why does Victoria's Secret give you "coverage" options on their bikini bottoms?! Does anyone ever really want the "minimal coverage" cut?! Especially since this is considered "moderate coverage". Um, lady, your whole butt is hanging out.

Is that a barnacle on your finger or do you go to the beach wearing jewelry?

I've been getting muscle, too. I've been doing a lot more strength training and I realize I had gotten plumb weak (say it in a country voice). Many of the workouts I've been doing stress push ups. When I was first injured I modified these workouts because I could only do three or four girl-style push ups and not even one real push-up. Now I can do 50 girl push ups and I refuse to try the real ones in case I still can't do them.
I have now developed man arms.

I read that if you point your fingers out while doing push ups that you'll work your biceps more, and I think that works. I was starting to get really disproportionate triceps, deltoids, and pecs compared to my biceps.
Interestingly, my friend Celeste went from a 3:15 marathon (awesome) to a 3:01 marathon (astonishing) in a year and the only change she made was adding in weight training. I'm hoping when I return to running I see a benefit!

You will surely see a benefit. Nice guns girl! And I laugh about the VS swimsuits. I should text you the picture of my butt in a pair of VS bottoms...HOly crap...their suits...not made for athletes with bigger buns IMO....and I don't have an exceptionally large ass but good grief, my butt was hanging out all over the place. ha ha. Excited to see this muscle building help you get faster in the next year. xoxo

Laughing too at the VS suit comment. I just got a moderate coverage bikini that has me with 1/2 my butt hanging. Ha! Your arms look amazing. And yes, the strength will help you get really fast when you return to running. Plus, man arms are sexy:)

About Me

My name is Grace and my life is needlessly complicated. Things happen to me that just don't happen to other shiny happy people. At least there's never a dull moment in my life!
I live in New Orleans in an old house that creates dirt with my darling husband and a few dead plants. I'm a pharmacist, he's a lawyer. Somehow we're still broke (but Sallie Mae is rich. Hmmm.). I have way too much going on in my life, including: church and Bible study, clothing design/sewing, art of various types, teaching (test prep), jewelry making, running (check out my races page for more info), the occasional intellectual endeavor (research, writing), and cooking. Oh and I work, too, of course. I'm a retail pharmacist heading up the HIV division in our region.
It might seem like this blog is just my complaints...or my races. But it's not. Someday I WILL post something useful, I promise! I hope to share the more interesting aspects of my life and a few tips, tricks, and hints that have saved me a $ or a minute. Perhaps you'll find something you like. I certainly hope so!